PURPLE GOATSBEARD (Tragopogon sinuatus) Cape Kutri, Kisamos district, Crete, Greece

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PYRAMIDAL ORCHID (Anacamptis pyramidalis) Cape Kutri, Kisamos district, Crete, Greece

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The Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the of the family Orchidaceae which is in the genus Anacamptis. The scientific name Anacamptis derives from Greek ανακάμτειν 'anakamptein' meaning 'bend forward', while the Latin name pyramidalis refers to the pyramidal form of the inflorescence. The triangular arrangement of the flower spike gives this orchid its English name. Colour variations range from pure white to dark magenta. It is commonly found in Europe on roadside verges, in meadows and parks. On the Greek island of Crete this conspecious orchid is in flower from late March to early May.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacamptis_pyramidalis

YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis subspecies L. m. michahellis) adult at Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece

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The Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. Up until recently it was considered as a race of Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) but has now been given full species status. Post breeding populations disperse north and east. From July onward it occurs in good numbers in southern Britain but is an uncommon and scarce species in Ireland.

 

There are two subspecies recognised:

• Larus michahellis michahellis - breeds in parts of western and southern Europe, as well as the Mediterranean Basin.  

• Larus michahellis atlantis - known as Atlantic Gull, breeds on the Atlantic coasts of France, Iberia, Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores where a dark headed form occurs.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) distribution map

 

  Year round resident        Breeding        Non breeding-winter

 

Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons 

SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY (Pararge aegeria) Akrotiri Peninsula, Crete, Greece

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The Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae which is one of three species in the genus Pararge. It is commonly found throughout much of the Palearctic ecozone, but is absent from the colder northern regions.